Back in Pendragon
by Pinetasticapple
Summary: For Mikleo, Pendragon was starting to feel more like a despair city than a blessed one, this being the second time they went through something drastic in its limits.


**Spoiler mention: You know after you finish the trials and go back to Pendragon? Spoilers for what happens after that and before you head towards Grave Gantt again.**

Unbeta'd again because it's almost midnight and I do this as stress relief from the game and NaNoWriMo.

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 **Back in Pendragon**

For Mikleo, Pendragon was starting to feel more like a despair city than a blessed one, this being the second time they went through something drastic in its limits.

The night was clear from clouds, a soft breeze blowing and caressing the numerous flags of Pendragon, but Mikleo wasn't looking at their movements.

So much had happened between the last time they had been in the city and now, between finding the temples and completing the trials, even going back to Elysia for a couple of days. But none of that had prepared any of them for what they faced in Pendragon; they had almost lost Rose, but they lost Dezel instead, his sacrifice still resonating in his mind.

Sorey had changed, but thankfully for Mikleo, it wasn't for the worst. He had become stronger, and he dared to say, mature. He didn't show the shadow of defeat, even if his heart was in the right place grieving the loss of their comrade, but looking at how resolved he was to find the answers, to not give up on their journey, Mikleo felt proud of how much Sorey had accomplished.

It had been probably an hour when he spotted Sorey walking back from the church, his eyes fixed on the sky above, exhaustion starting to show by how he swayed every couple of steps.

"I thought you had gone to bed" Mikleo said when he saw Sorey coming down the stairs, stopping right at the inn.

"Was about to" he replied "I just had to check on the others, make sure they were, well, doing ok"

"Of course" Mikleo looked at the sky, the moon shining bright upon them.

"I think Zaveid is going to make a pact with Lailah" Sorey said, Mikleo's change of expression pulling out a chuckle "I saw him on the way back"

"He said he had his reasons" Mikleo said, composing himself from the news "it will be interesting"

"Not the first thing you wanted to say about it am I right?"

"Definitely not"

Sorey chuckled, one hand finding its way to hold Mikleo's, his fingers caressing pale knuckles "I know you said there wasn't need for thanks…but I still want to thank you" he said, looking at him "not for being with me on this journey because you know that already… but for everything else"

"I don't need to express what I think of that do I?" Mikleo looked back at Sorey, green eyes glinting with the moonlight "we both know the answer to that" he said, pulling him closer for a kiss.

It wasn't a rushed kiss, more like soft and reassuring, Sorey's eyes closed as he felt Mikleo's hands holding him close by the waist. It was just when a breeze blew above them that they pulled apart, both having their cheeks flushed.

"Is a good thing is so late" Mikleo said "or it'd have looked strange for anyone finding the Shepherd kissing the air"

Sorey blushed more, the water seraph just giving Sorey's hand a reassuring squeeze, walking back to their room at the inn.

Perhaps it had been a coincidence, or it was just fate's way to have fun with them, when Mikleo noticed they had the same room as the last time they visited Pendragon. He removed his tunic, the belts unclasping with familiarity under his fingers and sat on the bed, boots already next to the door beside Sorey's, waiting for him to remove all the garments of the Shepherd, his earrings and gloves on the drawer, until he was finally in slacks and the black undershirt.

Mikleo had to admire that despite the outfit, Sorey would still look slightly smaller without it, even if the journey had taken its retribution in Sorey's body. That didn't take away the slight frustration of being shorter than him. But it was in these moments where Mikleo would look as if he was the tall one, his chin resting above Mikleo's head, one hand free for him to caress the boy's hair, knowing how efficient of a trick it was to get Sorey to sleep. And said position didn't fail when Sorey finally lied down, looking for Mikleo's arms as he wrapped himself around the seraph, his head resting on Mikleo's chest, exhaling a sigh when he felt slim fingers treading his hair.

"I wonder how they will be tomorrow" Sorey muttered, exhaustion finally kicking in properly, his eyelids heavy as he nuzzled into Mikleo's touch "or what are we going to do now"

"We will think about it in the morning" Mikleo said, kissing Sorey's forehead "but for now we better sleep"

"Right" Sorey didn't open his eyes, his voice dulled by a yawn "better sleep…yes" he shifted for a moment, his fingers holding to the fabric of Mikleo's shirt "night Mikleo"

"Good night Sorey" Mikleo muttered, closing his eyes as well.

"Love you" he heard Sorey's voice in a whisper, his heart skipping a beat, but his body holding the boy closer to him, embracing as much as he could without hurting him.

"I love you too"


End file.
